I'm going to watch tonight, but now that Melinda's gone, I don't really care who wins. I like both Blake and Jordin, and I think this has been set up for many weeks as Jordin's contest to lose, but I'll just be interested to see what happens.

Okay... I've stepped over dogs before, and I've done it without face planting myself into oblivion. Granted, they weren't Chihuahuas, but I think a Dachshund, a couple of Westies, and some unidentified mutt a friend once had count. No broken nose on the Tibore-ster yet.

The question is, wha-da-heck's wrong with Paula? Yes, I know she's got the best spacey delivery since Keith Richards, but isn't that due to painkillers for her back injury? Or is something else whacking her out?

My colleague took a spill stepping over one of her dachshunds that suddenly darted in her way. Her foot then landed on one of his rawhide chews, and slipped out from under her, and the resulting injury was a broken ankle that required surgery. Unfortunately, this happened Aug. 27, 2005; she was set for surgery Monday, Aug. 29, 2005, at a nearby hospital in New Orleans. That didn't work out, as you know. She was evacuated in a pirogue a week later, in much worse pain and with greater damage to her ankle. What might have involved a cast for a few weeks ended up requiring her to stay off her feet for two months. The dog is fine.